1984 In Television ,
Other Events Of 1985 ,
1986 In Television and the
List Of 'years In Television' .
''For the American network television schedule, please see 1985-86 American Network Television Schedule .''
- January 6 - The last 405-line Transmitter s are switched off in the UK.
- February 18 - At 5.35pm, the legendary mechanical "mirror globe" ident, in use in varying forms since 1969 , is seen for the last time in regular rotation on national BBC1 . It's replacement, the COW (omputer '''O'''riginated '''W'''orld, a computer generated globe) debuts at 7pm.
- March 2 - The NBC sitcom '' Gimme A Break! '' broadcasts an episode live.
- April 28 - In the UK , the World Snooker Championship Final between Dennis Taylor and Steve Davis draws BBC2 's highest ever rating of 18.5 million viewers.
- May 10 - The first episode of '' Saturday Night's Main Event '' airs on NBC, the first time that professional wrestling had aired on network television since the 1950s.
- May 17 - The season finale of '' Dallas '' finds Bobby Ewing ( Patrick Duffy ) on his deathbed after his crazed ex-sister in law runs him down in her car.
- July 31 - '' The War Game '', made for the BBC 's '' The Wednesday Play '' strand in 1965 but banned from broadcast at the time, is finally shown on television as part of BBC2's ''After the Bomb'' season.
- August 19 - David Letterman of NBC 's '' Late Night '' interrupts '' The Today Show '' with a megaphone while both shows are on the air. Letterman leaned out the window of his building and announced "My name is Larry Grossman president of NBC News and I'm not wearing any pants!". ''The Today Show'' was taping an interview several stories below.
- September 14 - In part one of a three-part season premiere on '' The Facts Of Life '', Edna's Edibles, the main focal point of the long-running series since 1983 , was burned to the ground.
- November 17 - '' Kane & Abel '', a Miniseries based on the bestselling Jeffrey Archer novel debuts on CBS television.
- December 8 - '' Lindenstraße '', the first German Soap Opera , first airs on ARD .
- NBC becomes the first commercial television network to use Satellite interconnection for its stations; as a result, it is the first station to discontinue use of chime intonations at the beginning of each telecast, to signal to the affiliates to start airing the network feed.
- Actress Courteney Cox uses the word " Period " (in the physical sense) on U.S. television for the first time, in a commercial for Tampax brand tampons.
- Elmo , a new character for '' Sesame Street '', is introduced.
- Douglas Marland starts his critically-acclaimed eight-year run writing for '' As The World Turns ''.
- Sábado Gigante moves from Chile to Univision studios in Miami , Florida .
- At the close of its 22nd season, '' Doctor Who '' is abruptly "rested" by BBC1 Controller Michael Grade . He intended to cancel the show outright, but the production office remained open and a much-changed 23rd season was broadcast in 1986 . Many fans would conduct vocal protests over the next year, urging the BBC to bring the series back.
- NBC becomes the first broadcast network in the US to air its prime-time programs in stereo.
- '' Magnum, P.I. '' ( 1980 -1988).
- '' Solid Gold '' (1980-1988).
- '' Too Close For Comfort '' (1980-1986).
- '' Dynasty '' ( 1981 -1989).
- '' Entertainment Tonight '' (1981-present).
- '' Falcon Crest '' (1981-1990).
- '' Gimme A Break! '' (1981-1987).
- '' Hill Street Blues '' (1981-1987).
- '' Simon & Simon '' (1981-1988).
- '' The Fall Guy '' (1981-1986).
- '' Today's Special '' (Canada) (1981-1987).
- '' What Now '' (1982-present)
- '' Timewatch '' ( UK ) (1982-present)
- '' Cagney & Lacey '' ( 1982 -1988).
- '' Capitol '' (1982-1987).
- '' Cheers '' (1982-1993).
- '' Fame '' (1982-1987).
- '' Family Ties '' (1982-1989).
- '' Knight Rider '' (1982-1986).
- '' Late Night With David Letterman '' (1982-1993).
- '' Newhart '' (1982-1990).
- '' Remington Steele '' (1982-1987).
- '' Silver Spoons '' (1982-1987).
- '' St. Elsewhere '' (1982-1988).
- '' The Journal '' (Canada) (1982-1992).
- '' Fraggle Rock '' (1983-1988).
- '' Loving '' (1983-1995).
- '' Press Your Luck '' (1983-1986).
- '' Scarecrow And Mrs. King '' (1983-1987).
- '' The A-Team '' (1983-1987).
- '' Webster '' (1983-1989).
- '' The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes '' (UK) (, 1991-1994).
- '' Highway To Heaven '' ( 1984 -1989).
- '' Jeopardy! '' (1964-1975, ).
- '' Kate And Allie '' (1984-1989).
- '' Miami Vice '' (1984-1989).
- '' Mother And Son '' (Australia) (1984-1994).
- '' Murder, She Wrote '' (1984-1996).
- '' Night Court '' (1984-1992).
- '' Punky Brewster '' (1984-1988).
- '' Santa Barbara '' (1984-1993).
- '' Tales From The Darkside '' (1984-1988).
- '' The Bill '' (UK) (1984-present).
- '' The Cosby Show '' (1984-1992).
- '' The Jetsons '' (1962-1963, , 1987).
- '' Who's The Boss? '' (1984-1992).
- '' It's A Living '' (1980-1982, ).
- '' Only Fools And Horses '' (UK) (1981-1983, , 1996- 1997 , 2001-2003).
- '' The Twilight Zone '' (1959-1964, , 2002).
- ''Diff'rent Strokes'' moves from NBC to ABC.
- February 12 - Nicholas Colasanto , actor ( Coach Ernie Pantusso ) on ''Cheers''.
- May 8 - Dolph Sweet , actor {Carl Kanisky} on ''Gimme a Break!''.
- May 13 - Selma Diamond , actress on ''Night Court'', supposedly the inspiration for a character on '' The Dick Van Dyke Show ''.
- October 2 - Rock Hudson , actor.
- October 12 - Johnny Olson , announcer of ''The Price Is Right'' and other game shows.
- November 1 - Phil Silvers , actor, Comedian .
- November 29 - Bill Scott , Voice Actor of Bullwinkle the moose.
- December 31 - Ricky Nelson , actor (on '' The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet ''), musician, killed in a plane crash.
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